Driver severely hurt in Colton crash

A Bullfrog area man was injured Saturday when the Penske moving truck he was driving crashed through a guard rail and down an embankment, going airborne before crashing into the railroad tracks below. Though he was severely hurt, seat belts did save his life, the Utah Highway Patrol said.

The impact appeared to have crushed much of the truck's cab around the man. The driver was extricated from the vehicle by Helper Rescue. Helper Fire Chief Mike Zamantakis said it took the rescuers about 20 minutes to pry the man out.

The man, Michael Porter, 26, was wearing a seat belt and was transported to University Hospital by medical helicopter with two broken legs and a broken collar bone.

The Utah Highway Patrol was dispatched to the area, about 14 miles northwest of Helper on U.S. Highway 6, at 5:10 p.m. By 8 p.m. the truck had been removed from the tracks. One set of tracks continued to receive train traffic, while train traffic was stopped on the other set, where the truck landed, troopers reported. Other agencies responding to the crash included the Utah County Sheriff's Office, Carbon County Sheriff's Office and Helper Police Department